[Solved]How to join and synchronising video clips

[Bazza]

I need some help on how to join and synchronise (audio and picture) some video clips together into one file. The files in question are all in MP4 format but have different frame rates/bitrates as they have come from a number of different sources. I have never done any video editing and dubbing before so is it possible to combine these files together so that the sound and picture are synchronised. Is there any simple, free video editing software out there that can do these procedure.

 

Any advice help on hoiw to do this would be most welcome.

[RandyL]

Hi Bazza;

I'm a little confused by your post but I'll try to answer as best I can.

 

Mp4 usually designates a audio/video file. Mp3 is audio only.

 

If you are trying to overlay a sound file on a video file, such as adding sound to a movie, then Windows Live Movie Maker can do that easily provided the sound file is Mp3. It supports Mp3 and Mp4.

 

Movie Maker can also join Mp4 files together but when you save the results it will convert them to WMV or you can burn them in DVD format.

 

So if you're trying to join mp4 movie files together and add mp3 sound then movie maker will do it and save it as .wmv instead of .mp4.

 

There are other programs too. This is just one. Note that Windows 10 is not listed as compatible but I've heard it works.

[Bazza]

Thanks for you post. I used moviemaker as you suggested to join the video clips together. This was successful and worked well and is now a 31 minute video. However when I played the video back after joining the various clips together, the audio and video are now out of sync on the filep that moviemaker created. It gets more and more out of sync the longer the video is played. How can I sychnronise the audio with the video properly for the entire 30 minute clip.

Any help or suggestions would be most welcome

[RandyL]

It sounds like the original files were corrupt and out of sync. It's probably going to take some work and patience. There are premier programs like Adobe Premier that will do it but it's not free and whatever you use will take some work.

 

Although I have not used these programs you can try them. Audio to video synchronization This article has some suggestions and programs you can try. At the bottom of the article is a link to another article Fix Audio Delays Permanently Using VLC & MKVToolNix that you can try.

 

Download Links:

 

Avidemux

 

MKVToolNix

 

As I have not used these programs look carefully during the installation so you don't get any bundled software just to be safe.

[Bazza]

Thanks for the information and download links you provided yesterday. I read the articles you provided and downloaded Avidemux as that looked the most suitable for MP4 files sync. I played the joined video clip through VLR (after downloaded the player) to ascertain the MS delays required for each individual video clip which I joined together. Then I loaded the file into Avidemux and followed the instructions on the article about how to alter the delay.

 

Once I had finished editing the file I saved it as per the instructions, but when I played it back Avidemux had applied the last delay setting (+2300ms) to the whole video. I have tried the process a number of times and seem to get the same result when played back in Avidemux, VLR or Windows Media Player. Any suggestions on what I might be doing wrong. My interpretation of the instructions is that you have to play the video through from start to finish in playback mode then pause and edit when you reach each different clips and that you cannot skip through the video and edit without playing in playback mode - Is this correct??

[RandyL]

Not having used Avidemux I can't say for sure. You could try adjusting the delay for split sections to get those sections working right then join the files together.

[Bazza]

Ok I will go back to the original nine clips and check them one by one and then remerge. l will let you know if this works.

[Bazza]

Just to let you know I have managed to successfully join and synchronise the video clips - it took a great deal of time and effort. I used some software called handbrake to standardise the frame rate and KBPS audio of the original clips. The clips synchronised by changing them all to a constant rate of 29.97 FRS and audio 96 KBPS and 44.1HZ. This speeded up the picture but kept the audio rate the same. It did not work at the lower rate of 25.

 

I then rejoined them using some software called "Free VIdeo Joiner" and played the merged file through Windows Media Player, VLC and moviemaker and all seemed fine. Hope this helps some other members in the future experiencing such problems.

[RandyL]

Good to hear Bazza. I knew it would be a tedious process. I have used Handbrake before but not the function you used. Thanks for letting us know how you resolved the issue.